2018 – a key year for high yield

2018 is shaping up to be a key year for the high yield bond market. In 2017 the market effortlessly shifted from ‘recovery mode’ (following the 2015/16 shale energy crisis) to rallying in conjunction with the global expansion we see around us. As a result, investors will enter 2018 contending with the offsetting influences of tight valuations against improving macroeconomic – and therefore corporate – fundamentals.

How do we see these competing factors playing out in 2018?

We think the big beta-driven moves of 2016 and early 2017 are behind us. We expect to see a modest amount of yield spread tightening in 2018, but overall we think current valuations are both full and justified.

Investors should remember, however, that the vast majority of returns in the high yield asset class accrue from the compounding effect of high levels of income or carry, through time, and not through the rather more eye-catching beta moves of recent periods.

Furthermore, high yield’s negative correlation with government bond markets leads us to conclude that, in the current improving environment, deriving good levels of income without taking material duration or interest rate risk is very attractive for bond investors.

Important information

For Professional Investors only and not to be distributed to or relied upon by retail clients.

The opinions presented are those of Kames Capital fund managers as at the time of publishing and may change as subsequent conditions vary. They are not intended to be relied upon as a forecast, research or investment advice, and are not a recommendation, offer or solicitation to buy or sell any securities or to adopt any investment strategy. Companies mentioned may not necessarily be held in any of Kames Capital funds. The information and opinions contained in these pieces are derived from proprietary and non proprietary sources deemed by Kames Capital to be reliable, are not necessarily all inclusive and are not guaranteed as to accuracy. Reliance upon information in this material is at the sole discretion of the listener/viewer.

This site is not intended for use by any US persons (being residents of the United States of America or partnerships or corporations organised under the laws of the United States of America or any state, territory or possession thereof), who are excluded from the content in this site.

For Professional Investors only and not to be distributed to or relied upon by retail clients.

The opinions presented are those of Kames Capital fund managers as at the time of publishing and may change as subsequent conditions vary. They are not intended to be relied upon as a forecast, research or investment advice, and are not a recommendation, offer or solicitation to buy or sell any securities or to adopt any investment strategy. Companies mentioned may not necessarily be held in any of Kames Capital funds. The information and opinions contained in these pieces are derived from proprietary and non proprietary sources deemed by Kames Capital to be reliable, are not necessarily all inclusive and are not guaranteed as to accuracy. Reliance upon information in this material is at the sole discretion of the listener/viewer.

This site is not intended for use by any US persons (being residents of the United States of America or partnerships or corporations organised under the laws of the United States of America or any state, territory or possession thereof), who are excluded from the content in this site.